Meghan McCain Has Offbeat Campaign Blog

"It feels almost like picking up a copy of Us Weekly real stars, they're just like us!" Germany said.

The site shows her father through a younger lens, making him seem, if not more hip, then definitely less crotchety, said Germany, whose husband works for McCain's campaign.

Occasionally, there's something revealing.

On the night The New York Times published a story suggesting McCain had an extramarital affair with a lobbyist, John and Cindy McCain were silent. They waited until morning to hold a carefully coordinated news conference in which McCain emphatically denied the story, which offered no direct evidence of an affair.

But just after the story broke, Meghan posted a few thoughts that provided a glimpse into how her family must have been feeling. She did not mention the story but made an emotional defense of her father.

"Having grown up in politics, I know it's an industry that, for all intents and purposes, is known for being dirty and cruel," she wrote.

"Why do I choose to be involved in politics right now? Because my father is different," she wrote. "He's compassionate, full of life, hilarious and is a beacon of integrity to myself and to so many others. Politics is rough, but I absolutely adore my Dad and this campaign and have never, ever stopped believing in him."

In some ways, the Web site is similar to the now-defunct "Five Brothers" blog that was part of Republican Mitt Romney's campaign.

Romney's five sons used their blog to poke good-natured fun at him. Son Matt made a prank phone call, ostensibly from California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: "Who's your daddy, and what does he do?" the governator demanded of Romney in what was really an audio clip from "Kindergarten Cop."

The "Five Brothers" blog drew attention and lured viewers to the campaign Web site. It may even have generated support for the candidate, said Colin Delaney of Epolitics.com, an online politics and advocacy Web site.